


Jack + migraine + birthday

by NatalieRyan



Series: George Eads Appreciation Week 2021 fics by Natalie Ryan [1]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Birthdays, Day 2, Family, Found Family, Gen, George Eads Appreciation Week, Mac takes care of Jack, a quiet birthday affair, migraines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:48:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29792832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NatalieRyan/pseuds/NatalieRyan
Summary: Jack gets a migraine for his birthday
Relationships: Jack Dalton & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Series: George Eads Appreciation Week 2021 fics by Natalie Ryan [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2189895
Comments: 14
Kudos: 23





	Jack + migraine + birthday

**Author's Note:**

  * For [N1ghtshade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/N1ghtshade/gifts).



> I kinda didn't think I'd write and finish a fic for today's theme, but I did.   
> So take this as a starting point for my fics in the GEAW series. I don't know how many more fics there'll be for me, but I look forward to see what the muse has to say.   
> Huge thanks to thistle for her help on suggesting Jack having migraines too when I needed to kickstart my muse on something soft to write, and for the quick beta.   
> Happy birthday, George (and Jack)

Mac was shivering even with the blanket wrapped around him. They were on their exfil flight, and the heat was on for his sake, but Mac's worry wasn't for himself, but for Jack. Jack, who was squinting at the bright sky and had his head tilted in an awkward angle because apparently he was hurting. And Mac had a pretty good idea what was the cause. 

It was a thing they usually joked about, the only partners in the history of the government agencies that both suffered from migraines. But the way Jack looked right now was furthest from a joke. While Mac's migraines came from over exerting himself and when he was suspended in a position too long without moving, Jack's were stress induced. Usually Jack got the hang of them and he rarely had anything more than a moderate headache. Today though, it seemed like the migraine was already taking place and had settled over Jack. 

And Mac had a pretty good idea what caused it. 

Sighing, Mac moved to the back of the plane where they stowed their go bags. He located Jack's and rummaged through it. Reaching the bag where Jack kept his migraine meds, he found the pill bottle empty.

Mac closed his eyes. It wasn't like Jack to forget to refill on his meds to carry with him. But also they were running back to back missions so Jack probably didn't think of refilling his meds. Which sucked because while Mac did have some of his left over from the last time he needed them, Jack couldn't take them. He once had a very undesired side effect from taking them, and they both didn't want to repeat that experience. 

Mac shivered again, the cold that seeped through his clothes in his skin taking hold. He still couldn't forget the feeling when he was thrown over the balcony and in the pool. They were chasing a suspect and the result was Jack tackling the guy and securing him to the balcony before diving after Mac.

Mac was wearing an undershirt, a t-shirt and one of Jack's softest hoodies, coupled with a blanket. And he was still cold. 

Closing their go bags, Mac headed to the mini-fridge and took an ice pack, then wrapped it in a cloth and took a bottle of water back to Jack. 

Boze and Riley were conked out at the other end of the plane. Since he didn't need their help now, Mac chose to let them get some shut eye, they were indeed far from home and it'd be a while until Mac had the means to help Jack. 

"Hey, drink some of this. Small sips, okay?" 

Jack raised his head to look at him and Mac could see the pain etched on Jack's face. 

He opened the water bottle and watched as Jack swallowed each gulp with difficulty. Mac knew that if Jack started throwing up, the pain would intensify. 

After Jack drank some of the water, Mac closed the lid and then handed Jack the ice pack to alleviate some of the pain. 

"On a scale of one to ten, how much are you hurting?" 

"Twelve." 

"Shit." 

Mac wondered what he could do. The pressure from the cabin must have been wreaking havoc with Jack's headache, and they had a while until landing. 

"C'mon, let's get you horizontal." 

"You know I'll just feel like a wet towel after I wake up. I can hold on until we are home." 

"Yeah, well, your face is telling me otherwise. What do you say to me when I have a migraine?" 

"That you shouldn't take it just because you could." 

Mac grinned smugly when Jack looked at him through squinty eyes. 

"You got me there, hoss." 

"C'mon. It won't hurt you more than you already are hurting." 

Jack obliged and before they sat down Mac took a towel and another bag of ice to put under Jack's neck as he lay across Mac's lap. 

He sighed as he relaxed and Mac smiled when he saw how fast Jack closed his eyes. 

"Is this okay?" 

"Yeah… thanks, dude." 

"Don't mention it."

Mac watched as Jack took even and calm breaths. The sound lulled him to a doze as well so before long they were both asleep. 

…

Once in LA, Mac took over the driving and got them to his house, Boze riding shotgun and Jack hiding his face in Riley's shoulder in the backseat. 

Mac sent Jack to the couch with Riley and Bozer for company, and then he set to plunging his room in darkness. He pulled the heavy curtains and turned off the neon sign above his bed. He found a pair of Jack's sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt, something that wasn't going to make it feel rough on his skin and want to tear it off himself. 

They had to learn every little detail about each other very early in their partnership, and Jack was particularly sensitive to "rough" fabrics. 

That settled, he went to his bathroom, opening the cabinet that held their meds and took Jack's migraine meds to the nightstand. The sheets were pulled and the pillows were fluffed. Mac plugged in the heating pad, because he knew that the combination of cold compressions at first with the heating pad to his neck, alleviated the stiffness of his shoulders and relaxed his muscles, thus easing the headache. 

On his way out he went to the kitchen and took a bottle of water for the meds as well and gently helped Jack to his feet and brought Jack to his room. 

"Why are you bringing me here? This is your room."

"It's the one with the heavy curtains. And the bed is bigger. I also got you clothes." 

Jack just plopped on the bed, putting his head in his hands and just stayed like that for a few moments. 

"You want me to help you?" 

Jack made an intelligible noise that Mac translated as a "yes" with an underlying embarrassment that Mac had to help Jack with simple tasks like helping him get dressed. Mac didn't mind, God only knew how many times Jack had helped him with that, so it was not a problem. 

Once dressed in softer clothes, Mac helped Jack under the covers and helped him with the heating pad. 

"You think you can manage the meds now or later?" 

"Mmm, later. I feel like my head is about to explode and I may throw it up." 

"Okay. Anything else?" 

"Nah." 

"I'll leave you to rest. If there's anything you need, I'll be in the kitchen." 

"As long as you don't start a fire…" 

"No promises. But seriously, I worried you enough today, I'm not planning on making LAFD come and put out a fire." 

"Good boy." 

"I'm sorry." 

"You are okay. It's all that matters. This? It will pass. As always." 

Mac nodded and then left the room. 

…

"You think he'll like it?" 

"It's his favorite cake, Boze, what's not to like?" 

"I mean, with the migraine and all…" 

Mac put out with a hand on Bozer's shoulder. 

"True, he has a migraine, but once he's better, he'll be all over the cake. We can always put it in the fridge for when he feels better." Mac reassured him. 

"True." 

"I just feel bad that he has a migraine on his birthday, you know." Riley said, and Mac once again felt bad for not seeing the guy who threw him in the pool. 

Riley seemed to notice the way Mac looked sullen. 

"Not your fault, okay?"

"You sound just like him." 

"Yeah, well, I can see that guilt complex you have that's a mile long. He isn't any better than you there." 

Mac could feel himself flush under the watchful eyes of his friends.

"Okay, I'll just go and bring this to him and we'll see how he is doing." 

Mac took the bag of crackers and some plain white cheese with him to his room. Jack was already awake and Mac could see one pill missing from the film.

"You awake?" 

"Mmpf." 

"How are you feeling?" 

"Headache is under control. But I ache all over. I'm getting too old for this shit." 

"Nah. Forty-six isn't that bad, dude."

Jack looked up at him then and Mac could see the realization on Jack's face. 

"It's my birthday, huh?" 

"For a few more hours at least." 

"We should take a rain check on the party." 

"We voted unanimously that we are good with staying at home this time around. There'll be time for a party." 

"You didn't have to do that." 

"You forget that you'd do the same thing for us. Jack, it's no hardship at all." 

"Is there cake at least?" 

"Now, I can tell for sure that you are feeling better." 

…

It was good to see Jack out of bed, still looking awful, but feeling better, and Mac could let the incident fall back to the task at hand. They opted out of any loud sounds and songs, but instead they each wished Jack a happy birthday with a hug and after that, they all sat on the couch with a piece of cake, Jack's way smaller than he could normally eat in one sitting. 

It was a quiet night in and the celebration was more symbolic than anything. But it felt good to have the family gathered around in his house, and Mac couldn't ask for anything else. 

Riley was currently curled against Jack's left side and already conked out. Judging by how his shoulder felt heavier, Mac assumed that Jack was headed that way too. Boze was the smartest of them all and already headed to sleep in his bed. Mac was loath to move, so he reached for the blankets he kept in the back of the couch and covered the three of them, before he settled more snuggly against Jack's side. 

All things considered, this was probably the least eventful birthday of Jack's they spent together. And Mac was willing to bet that Jack wouldn't have traded it for anything else. He was right where he was supposed to be. With his family. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts?


End file.
